Bathing cap



June J.'c. JOHNSON BATHING CAP Filed Sept. 3, 1938 Patented June 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BATHING GAP J. Claudine Johnson, Rockford, Ill.

Application September 3, 1938, Serial No. 228.291

Claims.

My invention relates to a new and improved bathing cap.

I am aware of the numerous attempts made to produce a bathing cap that will exclude the 5 water so as to keep the bather's hair dry. It is well known that the bathing caps now available on the market are not actually water-tight and give only a small degree of protection. Apparently the majority of the sealing means provided heretofore were designed on the theory thatv the entrapped air in the cap could be relied upon to keep out the water. However, I have found that even the best bathing caps designed with that, in view are by no means water-tight. It is,

therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a bathing cap having sealing means therein designed to operate on a different principle, namely, that the pressure of the water tending to enter acts to increase the pressure against the head of the water excluding flange, so that the greater the water pressure becomes the greater the sealing effect.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sealing flange in a bathing cap having a reen- 2d forcing and stiffening head on the edge thereof,

so as to add durability and assure a better sealing action, by eliminating the danger of fraying at the edge, and also aid the wearer in getting the flange in the proper position when the cap is ap- 80 plied, the bead affording a place for the wearer to grasp the flange by the finger-tip and guide it to a position projecting downwardly all of the way, around the head.

Still another object is to provide a bathing 88 cap with sealing means, the addition of which means very little if any added cost over the cost of bathing caps now available.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- 40 Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a bathing cap equipped with the novel sealing means provided in accordance with my invention, the cap being shown as it appears in use;

Fig. 2 is a sectional detail on the line 22 of I Fig. 1 on a larger scale;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail similar to Fig. 2, but showing the sealing flange as it appears in relatlon to the edge of the cap in undistorted condition;

80 Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig. 3, showing a modified or alternative construction; A

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail similar to Fig. 2, showing a different sealing flange which, however, operates on the same principle, generally I! speaking, and

Figs. 6 and 'l are views related to Fig. 5 similarly as Figs. 3 and 4 are related to Fig. 2.

Similar reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, reference numeral 8 6 designates the body of the cap which may be made in any usual or preferred manner, the kind now most commonly used being molded from elastic material, such material being desirable because it may be distended to fit the con- 10 tour of the wearers head. At 8 is indicated one of the usual ear flaps by means of which the cap is fastened securely in place on the head with a chin strap l0 equipped with a snap fastener II at one end. The caps noticeable but not ob- 15 jectionable annular welt l2 which extends completely around the head, over the ears, results from the added thickness due to the T-shaped sealing flange or strip l3, provided in accordance with my invention, reaching completely around the inner circumference of the cap in upwardly spaced relation to the edge portion it that defines the head opening. Now, the flange I3 will preferably be molded integral with the body of the cap, although, of course, I may, as shown in Fig. 4, provide a separate strip i5 adapted to be cemented to the inside of the body 8a and having thereon a T-shaped flange l3a. for cooperatlon with the edge Ila of the cap. The integral construction is at present considered preferable. In either event the web It constituting the leg of the T spaces the cross-portion ll of the T from the edge portion it so as to define an annular water trapping channel I8 between the sealing flange l3 or I31; and the edge portion H or 35 Ila of the cap. While the flange I3 or He is in engagement with the head of the wearer, water entering the channel I8 between the edge portion 14 of the cap and the flange exerts pressure tending to cause the flange to seat more tightly against the head, whereby better to exclude water. In other words, the greater the water pressure becomes, the greater the sealing effect produced. An enlarged annular bead 19 defines the lower edge of the flange l3 or Mia and serves to reenforce the sealing flange so that there will be no danger of the lower edge becoming frayed and consequently giving an unsatisfactory sealing effect. The head has a tendency to impress itself slightly into the skin, just enough to give better assurance of good sealing effect without, on the other hand, giving discomfort to the wearer. This head is also an aid to the wearer in applying thecap properly, because the finger tips can be run along this head to make certain that the flange is projecting downwardly and is properly engaged withthe head at all points. The broad expanse of surface afforded by the flange ll which bears against the head, as shown in Fig. 2, avoids any likelihood of the bead l9 impressing itself to an uncomfortable extent into the skin.

In operation, the sole reliance for keeping the hair dry is placed upon the sealing flange I3 or a, as the case may be, which in cooperation with the associated edge portion II or Ha of the cap provides a continuous channel I8 all the way around the head to intercept the water. The pressure exerted by the trapped water presses the flange l3 or l3a more and more tightly against the head the greater the pressure hecomes, and in that way a very effective seal is produced. While the principal seal is along the beaded edge IQ of the flange, it is obvious that the wide engagement with the head of the rest of the cross-portion ll of the T-shaped flange I3 affords an extremely reliable seal also, and there is therefore little danger of any water finding its way through. In many other bathing caps there is too much reliance placed upon that portion corresponding to the edge portion H in the present cap fitting tightly enough to act as a seal. I have found that water flnds its way easily under this edge portion, and, in fact, I contemplate having this edge portion in the present cap flt reasonably loosely, as indicated by the space left between the head and the edge portion I4 in Fig. 2. It is obvious that even though this edge portion may contact the head at some points, there will be no interference with the sealing function, inasmuch as the channel l8 extends all the way around the head and, being fllied with water, the pressure developed therein at one point is substantially equalized all the way around, making for a uniformly good seal at all points. So far as the T-shaped flange I 3 or Ila is concerned, it will of course be stretched inthe application of the cap to the head, so that the beaded edge I! and the sealing band formed by the adjacent flange portion I! will have snug water-tight engagement with the head.

The sealing flange 23 shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has a generally similar result and is molded integral with the cap body 8 or provided on a separate strip 25, as shown at 23a in Fig. 7, adapted to be cemented in place on a body 81). The flange 23 or 23a normally projects downwardly and inwardly relative to the edge portion I or a. of the cap, whereby to provide the annular channel l8a for sealing purposes, similarly as the channel I8 is provided in the other constructions, above described. The bead 29 in this case functions similarly as the bead l9 in the other form, namely, it avoids danger of the sealing edge becoming frayed and ineffectual as a sealing means, while at the same time affording a good, continuous ring contact between the flange and the head of the wearer to exclude water. Here again, the bead facilitates the operator getting the flange into the proper position, projecting downwardly as shown in Fig. 5, so as to form the water trapping channel Isa-throughout the inner circumference of the cap. The flanges 23 and 23a, of course, tend to assume the positions of downward and inward inclination by themselves, but it is obvious that in the application of the cap to the head there is danger of the flange being deflected upwardly to a position where 'it would not cooperate with the edge of the cap to provide the important water trapping channel Ila, and for that reason it is desirable to have It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims are drawn with a view to covering all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

l. A bathing cap comprising a hollow body of flexible material having a head opening at the bottom defined by a marginal edge portion adapted to flt loosely around the head of the wearer, and a sealing flange of elastic material extending entirely around the interior of said body and Joined along its outer edge portion with said body in upwardly spaced relation to the edge of the marginal edge portion, said flange having a free inner edge portion which when the cap is applied to the head extends downwardly from the line of connection between the flange and body in laterally spaced relation to the aforesaid marginal edge portion of the body of the cap so as to form with said marginal edge portion a continuous water catching channel entirely around the interior of the body of the cap, the inner edge portion of the flange being enlarged to deflne a continuous circumferential bead on the edge thereof, which projects inwardly and outwardly relative to the flange, the inwardly projecting portion of the bead forming a sealing means for impressing engagement with the head, the outwardly projecting portion of the bead facilitating correct placement of the beaded edge of the flange on the head, said bead also reinforcing said edge portion, said beaded edge portion being adapted to be stretched in the application of the cap to the wearer's head so that the beaded edge is caused to lie in snug watertight engagement with the head and seal off the rest of the interior of the body of said cap from said channel.

2. A water-tight bathing cap comprising a body of elastic material having a free lower edge deflning the head-admitting opening, and above said edge within the body a single continuous circumferentially extending water catching flange attached at its one edge to the body and having a free edge portion, the free edge portion of the flange being formed with relation to that portion joined to the body of the cap so as to define a generally T-shaped cross-section, the cross-portion of the T being disposed substantially parallel to the adjacent wall of the cap and forming an annular sealing band extending entirely around the interior of the body of said cap,said band being adapted to stretch in the application of the cap to the wearer's head and have broad water-tight engagement with the head.

3. A bathing cap comprising a hollow body of flexible material having a head opening at the bottom defined by a. marginal edge portion adapted to flt around the head of the wearer, and a sealing flange of elastic material extending around the interior of said body and joined along its outer edge with said body in upwardly spaced relation to the edge of the marginal edge portion,

said flange having a free inner edge portion which when the cap is applied to the head extends downwardly from the line of connection between the flange and body in laterally spaced relation to the aforesaid marginal edge portion of the body of the cap so as to form with said marginal edge portion a water entrapping channel around the interior of the body of the cap, the inner edge portion of the flange being enlarged to define a continuous circumferential bead on the edge thereof and being adapted to be stretched in the application of the cap to the wearers head so that the beaded edge is caused to lie in snug Water-tight engagement with the head, the inner edge portion of the flange being formed with relation to that portion joined to the body of the cap so as to define a generally T-shaped cross-section, the cross-portion of the T being disposed substantially parallel to the adjacent wall of the cap and forming an annular sealing band extending entirely around the interior of the body of said cap, said band being adapted to stretch in the application of the cap to the wearer's head and have broad water-tight engagement with the head, the bead being provided on one of the edges of the cross-portion.

4. A bathing cap comprising a hollow body of flexible material having a head opening at the bottom defined by a marginal edge portion adapted to fit around the head of the wearer, and a sealing flange of elastic material extending around the interior of said body and joined along its outer edge with said body in upwardly spaced relation to the edge of the marginal edge portion, said flange having a free inner edge portion which when the cap is applied to the head extends downwardly from the line of connection between the flange and body in laterally spaced relation to the aforesaid marginal edge portion of the body of the cap so as to form with said marginal edge portion a water entrapping channel around the interior of the body of the cap, the inner edge portion of the flange being enlarged to define a continuous circumferential bead on the edge thereof and being adapted to be stretched in the application of the cap to the wearer's head so that the beaded edge is caused to lie in snug water-tight engagement with the head, the inner edge portion of the flange being formed with relation to that portion joined to the body of the cap so as to define a generally T-shaped crosssection, the cross-portion of the T being disposed substantially parallel to the adjacent wall of the cap and forming an annular sealing band extending entirely around the interior of the body of said cap, said band being adapted to stretch in the a plication of the cap to the wearers head and have broad water-tight engagement with the head, the bead being provided on the lower edge of the cross-portion.

5. A bathing cap comprising a hollow body of flexible material having a head opening at the bottom defined by a marginal edge portion adapted to flt around the head of the wearer, and a sealing flange of elastic material extending around the interior of said body and joined along its outer edge with said body in upwardly spaced relation to the edge of the marginal edge portion, said flange having a free inner edge portion which when the cap is applied to the head extends downwardly from the line of connection between the flange and body in laterally spaced relation to the aforesaid marginal edge portion of the body of the cap so as to form with said marginal edge portion a water entrapping channel around the interior of the body of the cap, the inner edge portion of the flange being enlarged to define a continuous circumferential bead on the edge thereof, which projects inwardly relative to the flange, said inwardly projecting portion of the bead forming a sealing means for impressing engagement with the head, said bead also reinforcing said edge portion, said beaded edge portion being adapted to be stretched in the application of the cap to the wearer's head so that the beaded edge is caused to lie in snug water-tight engagement with the head.

J. CLAUDINE JOHNSON. 

